AEA Europe Update on Recent B4 Working Group Meeting

Jul 12, 2010 Regulatory

On behalf of the AEA Europe membership, Ric Peri, AEA’s vice president of government and industry affairs, recently attended the first meeting of the B-4 rulemaking working group. The meeting took place in Cologne on 29-30, June.

During the meeting, AEA’s Peri unanimously was elected as chairman of the working group. AEA Europe’s board of director, Garry Joyce, also is a member of this B-4 working group and was in attendance.

To keep AEA members informed on the progress, follows is a synopsis of the first meeting:

Essentially, there were six options that needed to be evaluated. The Chair (Peri) led the discussion to identify the options applicable to the general aviation environment for avionics engineers, which are:

Do nothing.

Add a B4 license with basic knowledge reduced from the requirement for B2 and adapted to aircraft with MTOM lower than 2000 Kg (B4 to be an avionics license equivalent to B3 in Opinion 4/2009).

Create a sub-category B2L restricted to VFR equipped aircraft.

Create a sub-category B2L restricted to Group 3 aircraft.

Create a sub-category B2L restricted to Group 2 and 3 aircraft.

Create a sub-category B2L with no restriction.

The concept of B2L is a B2 license where basic knowledge requirements are the same as the full B2; and the proposed experience requirements are similar to the B1.2/1.4 requirements rather than the current B-2 requirements. Some B-2 sub-modules are taken progressively with progressive authority until reaching a full B2 license. The options aimed to define which ratings are associated to this license.

The impacts for each option were identified and the balance of pros and cons were made to select a preferred option. The option of B2L attached to Group 2 and 3 aircraft is retained, but presents a small disadvantage as some newly designed aircraft from Group 2 and 3 may be equipped with sophisticated systems (Integrated systems as PFD and FMS), which will require the presence of a B2 staff.

Little discussion other than those needed to identify the options and impacts took place.

The second meeting is scheduled in September, with a follow-on meeting scheduled in November.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact Ric Peri, vice president of government & industry affairs for AEA, by email at ricp@aea.net or by phone at 202-589-1144.